


A Touch of Sincerity

by Soggychan



Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Project, ラブライブ! 虹ヶ咲学園スクールアイドル同好会 | Love Live! Nijigasaki Gakuen School Idol Doukoukai (Anime)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Study Date, sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 06:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30034413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soggychan/pseuds/Soggychan
Summary: Kanata has her girlfriend over to keep her awake while she studies. But somehow it ends up flipping, just a little.
Relationships: Sonoda Umi/Konoe Kanata
Kudos: 6
Collections: Umi's Birthday Bash





	A Touch of Sincerity

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday, Umi! A KanaUmi for your pleasure!

“Kanata!”

“… Fueh? I’m not sleeping, Umi-chan~”

Kanata was most definitely falling asleep when Umi spoke up. “I’m sorry, but you were the one who asked me to make sure you could stay up for this. So please try to take this more seriously!”

“Yes, yes, whatever you say, Umi-chan~” Kanata stretches an arm high above her before picking her pencil up again and getting to work. She stole a glance at her phone which told her it was well past midnight. Not very unusual for her to be up at that time studying, she would just take a nap after her exam.

Their late-night study sessions usually became like this. Silent and serious. Umi always took it very seriously when Kanata asked her to take the part of ensuring she didn’t fall asleep. And she was never upset at Umi for taking it seriously. She asked after all. If she was going to sleep, Kanata would have studied alone. Having her girlfriend there to keep watch helped a ton. It also helped that Umi naturally took school head on so she could get her own studying done as well. It made those “study dates,” as Kanata liked to put it, much more guilt-free for her. If she was interrupting Umi’s nights, she would never ask. Plus, with Haruka sleeping over at somebody’s house, it made the for the perfect date.

Kanata peeked up from her book at some point to check on her girlfriend and she was glad she did. Umi clearly struggled to keep her eyes open, her head also bobbing up and down as she tried to keep her eyes fixated on the paper in front of her. A very cute sight. But it also gave Kanata an idea, one that would surely benefit them both. Besides, Umi was pushing herself so hard for her sake. What kind of girlfriend would she be if she didn’t repay the favour?

First step of the plan. “I’m gonna go something to drink. Want anything?”

“I’m fine.”

The answer she expected. But that wasn’t enough to even throw a wrench in her plans. The gears were spinning overtime and Kanata couldn’t help but want to see Umi’s reaction in the end. She heated up some tea for herself, something that would actually help her stay away but prepared a different variety of herbal tea, one that her mother insisted was good for helping you to sleep. Well, now would as good a time as any to see how that checks out.

Kanata peeked into her room before just barging in, wondering if, by some possibility, Umi might have given up or at least lost the battle to sleep even without her secret weapon. But no. Struggling as she was, Umi till managed to stay awake, her pencil furiously solving problems. Working hard as ever. Kanata slipped in and placed the cup of herbal tea next to her.

Umi raised an eyebrow at the cup. “Aren’t you the one always telling me to stay hydrated and stuff~?”

“Ah… Well, thank you.”

As Umi took a few sips of the tea, Kanata pushed her study materials over until she could comfortably fit on the same side of the kotatsu as Umi. Umi tossed another confused look her way but said nothing. As long as Kanata was studying, she probably wouldn’t say anything.

And so, the silent studying continued. Kanata kept a close eye on the contents of the cup and a closer eye on Umi. As the night continued, Umi’s pencil strokes gradually slowed, and Kanata noticed her head bobbing more and more. It was well past two in the morning when the sound of a falling pencil followed by Umi’s head resting on her shoulder that Kanata knew she had finally fallen asleep. Whether the tea worked into that or not, she still wasn’t sure, but a win was a win.

-

Words are not my strong suit. No matter how much I study, it never makes speaking my mind on such a delicate matter easier. I may be confident in my ability to study, or kyudo, or kendo but… when it comes to matters of the heart I feel as if I’m always a beginner, someone who never quite grasped the basics. However, unlike sports, there is no rule book with which to consult. There is only the silence within me, a vast well of emotion that cannot move forward.

“Umi-chan, you’re really something else huh~ Ehe, but that part of you is great too~”

And yet, in some rare cases, I found that the well of emotions begged to be spoken. It claws at my thoughts, tears through hesitance. And yet I remain silent. After all, how does one who never learned Japanese speak Japanese? Just like one who has never experienced love will struggle to express their love… No. I’m not a child. I won’t pretend like love is some immoral activity that must be pushed away. To be honest, I do not know what to think of it. After all…

“Do you wanna come with me? I’m sure it’ll be even more fun with the two of us~”

This is my first love.

I used to believe all those love novels were ridiculous, that nobody could ever describe the feelings of love with frilly words made simply to flip the hearts of maidens. And yet as time went on, I found those words to be quite accurate. Butterflies in my stomach when she spoke to me. A lightness in my chest when she smiled. And the pounding of my heart when we’re alone together. Thought I attempted to push those thoughts away, they always came back. And with them came a time when I could no longer lie. As much of a mistake as it felt to do so, all I could do was ask my friends.

And, in Honoka’s eloquently put way, I should just “go for it.”

“If you really like her that much, then what’s stopping you? Go get her, Umi-chan!”

Time passed as that thought slowly ate away at me. But I couldn’t bring myself to tell her. After all, before I knew it, I had become so used to our routine. Meeting with her, hanging out with just the two of us. It became something so comfortable that I was terrified to break it. There was no way to tell if she felt the same way. It’s just one of those things about love. Sometimes, you just can’t know. And the fear of not knowing is enough to paralyze you. Why risk a fallout when you can peacefully settle into your usual routine?

But the day came that I received that push forward. Or so I say, but it was nothing in particular. Just a normal day. The day I went to Nijigasaki to meet with her. I was late, very late. And after no responses to my messages, I feared the worst. And yet, when I arrived at their clubroom, I arrived to a painting. The sun just barely dipped below the horizon, dying the background of this scene in deep orange. Kanata sat the table, her head resting on her arms, eyes closed, peacefully sleeping the evening away. When I saw her like that, I felt those butterflies, that heart pounding, everything all at once. And with it came a fear. I chose that moment to reflect on Honoka’s words. That if I wanted to be with her, I should just go for it. Then… what would happen if I didn’t? If I waited, would she disappear one day? Kanata would finish high school before me and who knows where she would end up? It might be far away, much too far away to build this relationship any farther. And so I took a step forward.

“Mm… nngh…” Kanata’s eyes flickered open. To think the sound of just one step could wake her when sometimes it took the entire combined might of the Nijigasaki idol club to wake her at times. She lifts her head slowly, her hair a mess from moving in her sleep. Kanata rubs her eyes before locking onto me. I feel my throat tighten. “Ah, Umi-chan~ Sorry, I fell asleep.”

Managing to squeeze out some words, I mumble, “No, it was my fault for being late…”

“Ehehe, don’t say it like that~ I don’t mind.” Kanata stood, grabbing her bag. “Well, should we get going?”

As she moves to walk past me, I can’t help but feel that fear creeping back. Like if I let Kanata move through that door, I’ll never see her again. Of course, that’s not the case. Even if she leaves sometime in the future, I’ll see her before then. But in the moment, it really does feel like that. My fear gives the situation a sense of finality and I hate it. I hate that feeling. For one time in my life, I want to speak up about this. For the first time, I want to properly speak my feelings. No stuttering, no from others.

And so I just… go for it.

“Hm?” Kanata stops as I grab her sleeve. “What is it, Umi-chan~?”

It’s… I take a deep breath before releasing her. If I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it properly. Like I said, no stuttering. No becoming an immature embarrassed mess. I look up into Kanata’s eyes and see a patient smile on her face and I’m finally able to swallow that tightness. If it’s Kanata, surely…

“Kanata, I―”

-

“Hnn… Eh? A dream?” Umi’s eyes cracked open but she couldn’t tell exactly what she was looking at. Is she… laying down? Something incredibly soft is under her and she wonders if Kanata moved her to the bed. Umi rolls over and is met with Kanata’s face looking down at her. “Eh!? K-Kanata!?”

“Ehehe. That tickles~”

Umi shoots up, looking around. “Wha? What time is it? How long was I asleep?”

“For about an hour.”

Ugh, just great. Umi rubbed at her eyes. She was there to make sure Kanata didn’t fall asleep, she couldn’t be the one falling asleep first. “I’m terribly sorry. I was supposed to make sure you stayed awake…” Umi feels a tug and suddenly she’s falling back the way she came. She expects a hard impact, but Kanata’s thighs suffice as a cushion to her fall and now she’s looking back up at her girlfriend again. “K-Kanata? What…?”

Kanata giggles and runs a hand through Umi’s hair. “You’re still sleepy, right? Don’t mind me~”

“But I said I would keep you awake…”

“Don’t worry~ Kanata-chan is wide awake now.”

“Eh? But…”

Kanata runs a hand through Umi’s hair again and giggles. “Having Umi-chan here is enough to keep me awake. You’ve done more than enough~ So your reward is a lap pillow nap.” Kanata pauses, her hand tangled blue locks. "You're always working just a little hard for me..." This comes out as a mumble and Umi tilts her head, which looks incredibly funny in her position.

"Kanata..."

"Nope! Time for bed~"

As much as Umi wants to argue that she should stay up, arguing with Kanata usually proved futile. Somehow Kanata was even more stubborn than her and in a battle of perseverance she would never win. Not to mention, Kanata had long since mastered all those techniques to use in arguments to get what you want. Umi could only sigh and accept her fate. Not the worst fate in the world, she admitted to herself.

“Then… I guess I’ll take a short nap…” Despite that desire to argue, she was still sleepy. And being on Kanata’s lap again was already chipping away at her will to stay up. Her eyelids already felt heavy, and she could feel the realm of sleep dragging her in. The last thing she saw was Kanata’s smile before her world faded to black.

“Ehehe.” Kanata stroked Umi’s hair, being as gentle as possible to not risk waking her again. “You did a great job today, Umi. You worked so hard. So enjoy your nap. Good night~”

Kanata waited until she felt Umi's breathing change again before removing her hand. "Well, Kanata-chan will have to work just a little harder too."

-

-

“I knew it! I knew I should have stayed awake! I can’t believe this!” Umi sprinted along the sidewalk, practically dragging Kanata behind her. “At this rate, we’ll be lucky if we can even catch our trains!”

After all was said and done, Kanata had fallen asleep at about five… without an alarm or anything set. And so, they had scrambled to get ready and got on their way. With absolutely no time to spare, they might, just might, barely make it to their schools on time.

“Next time, I’m staying up as well!”

“I’m sorry~!” Kanata struggled to keep up with Umi’s pace but couldn’t help but smile at her girlfriend’s back. Even after she screwed up, it was Umi helping her again. She hummed a happy little tune to herself. Even though they were most likely going to be late… Well, something like that wasn’t so bad every once in a while, right? “Thank you, Umi-chan~”

**Author's Note:**

> Make sure to properly celebrate Umi day!
> 
> Till next time. Be seeing you.


End file.
